Once again, sorry for the long interval between posts…I’m still trying to get the E-Type back to its owner in one piece and then I’ll be working on this machine, the latest orphan to find its way into this cavern of unfinished projects. It’s a 1931 Austin Seven Box Saloon, type “RN”. It’s had a lot of work done on it and is in generally OK condition but there is plenty to be done before the locals can be terrorized by zooming by at 35mph.

Brodie cannot believe what he’s seeing…”we talked about this!”

I don’t yet know much about Sevens, though I’ve been doing some reading and I’m sure I already know more than any normal person would be interested in learning.

At least it doesn’t take up much space!

The only thing I’ve done so far is to put the “hubcaps” back onto the nearside wheels…surprisingly difficult to fit

This car was largely restored before the owner passed away about a decade ago. A few of my friends pitched in together to buy it and now (through a glitch in the space-time continuum) I’m a majority owner in this “enterprise”. The plan, such as it is, is to get it sorted out and road-worthy and then almost certainly sell it on as, unless a pile of money falls from the sky, I don’t need another mouth to feed.

The paintwork is certainly acceptable if not show-quality, and nice enough for a car to putter around in. The coachline for some reason does not continue onto the door on the left side (and not onto the bonnet on either side), so if I can get a good match on the red I will get the Bugler pin-striper out and try my hand at extending the line.

The interior is in nice condition, having been redone in the past. The floor needs carpets

The list of jobs on a quick look-round the car include:

  • Sort out all of the wiring; hopefully this doesn’t mean a new loom, though if such a creature is cheap I may do that. What I’ve seen is pretty sketchy
  • Sort out the clutch; the pedal has dropped all the way to the floor
  • Sort out steering wheel controls for spark advance and throttle; they are reversed at very least
  • Sort out the horn; I have two, one a disassembled original and another what looks to be period similar or maybe a good reproduction
  • Find/buy the pieces of the gear surround and put them back
  • Get it running; it has a new carb on it, but not sure its correct type. There are pieces of the original in the spares
  • Fix check straps on doors
  • Find/install door cap on right door
  • Look at battery install and make right if its not; hopefully starter works!
  • Gauges look pretty tired but hopefully work
  • Adjust cable brakes in hopes they can at least pretend to work, they are notoriously bad on these cars in any case, being tiny and without much oomph when new
  • See if I can mount the driver’s seat further back somehow; I can barely get in and am not convinced I could drive it as-is
  • Carpets; surprisingly for a “cheap” car, it should have them
  • Driver’s window does not wind up
The mighty 10hp 750cc engine. That’s the petrol tank behind it, with what looks like a motorcycle tap on it. I have a lever style in the spares. This tap is stuck open, hence someone’s clamp on the line

There are a few spares, some of which should be useful. I pulled them all from their random cardboard boxes and this is what there is:

Why only two used pistons? The long spout is the original horn, the triple-a badge is from Rhodesia!

The car originally had black-enamel headlights, and the pair of them is here. The chrome versions on the car are, I think, from a later car or maybe a two-seater. I’ll probably leave them be, but I also prefer originality.

Things are getting crowded here in the cavern of shame